19.06.2025 11:10
The bill to be discussed in the Parliament is at the center of reactions due to the argument that it could lead to the destruction of olive groves. As the bill was being debated in the Turkish Grand National Assembly Commission, the discussions escalated, resulting in a fistfight during the session.
The proposal for the amendment of certain laws by the TBMM Industry, Trade, Energy, Information and Technology Commission caused tension in the Parliament. The bill brought to the commission is at the center of discussions due to concerns that it could pave the way for mining in olive groves.
SCUFFLE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION DEPUTIES
Opposition deputies wanted to include environmental rights advocates and legal experts in the TBMM Industry Commission meeting. The parliamentary security stated that they could not allow anyone not on the list to enter. A debate broke out between AK Party and opposition deputies.
DEPUTIES FOUGHT
The argument between Commission Chairman Mustafa Varank and CHP Bursa Deputy Orhan Sarıbal escalated when AK Party Eskişehir Deputy Nebi Hatipoğlu pushed Sarıbal. Deputies occasionally fought with punches. During the scuffle, Varank was heard saying to Sarıbal, "Get out of here, look at your rudeness. You can't block my way."
After the tension, the deputies who moved on to the commission meeting expressed their protests by banging on the commission benches.
WHY IS THE PROPOSAL CAUSING REACTION?
The proposal raises concerns that olive groves in Muğla could be opened as mining sites. This regulation, covering an area of 468 thousand acres, aims to expand the mining areas around the Yatağan, Yeniköy, and Kemerköy Thermal Power Plants, which were privatized in 2014. While the opposition emphasizes their concerns about environmental damage and the loss of agricultural land, AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler argues that the proposal will strengthen energy supply security and clarify environmental obligations.